The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-19

sumed OF envy OF my own gift to
you"
She was yielding to his touch ex
pandng into new beauty as the plan,
was doing in the embrace ofthe moons
rays.
Out from the shadows OF ferr
mound, to one side OF the absorbed
lovers, lace, livid, sharpenedi
contorted, glanced for q second,
The BRIDES veil caught in the calyx o.
one OF the half-opened buds. The
moon. plant shivered through all its
foliage. One OF it's stems snapped
sharply, and Carolyn drew back with
one OF the buds entangled in the mesh
of her veil.
"Ah, the pity OF it'll" she cried, tax
ing the despoied buds into her lewelec
fingers and gazing upon it regrettully.
So intent was she looking ut the bro
ken flower and so intent was he gazing
at her in her wistful beauty that nei
ther OF them saw what the pair OF star.
ing eyes, Swallowed by the fern fronds
caught q glimpse of-the hideous
many-legged beast that had darted
forth from the foliage OF the shaken
plant. Alert upon one OF the broad
leaves it stood until the quiverint
foliage settled into stiffness, then il
crouched, waiting.
"Ah! Phil" murmured the bride, her
eyes dewey and her voice tremu
lous, what il we should find our
welded happiness to be no more than
this moon-ilower, lovely to look up
on, but to be broken by the first
rough usage. See! l can not make
even this small bud attach itself again
where it may gather life and beauty
anew"
She bent forward making a pretty
pretense OF reuniting the plant, and
its severed blossoms; but instantly
she started back, making vain effort
to suppress the exclamation OF pair
or terror that sharply broke the still
ness OF the conservatory. Her cry
was shrlly echoed on this instant
from the clump OF ferns close, by
which, violently agitated, gave sudden
egress to thef4(ire OF a man.
1t was Bardinelii, late master in
music to Carolyn. 1t was to the side
of his former pupil he now darted
Darby was still clasping her in his
arms, and questioning her in an agony
OF apprehension, while she, nervous
ly agitated, was using her womanly
arts to reassure him.
otis nothing, Phil-a mere scratch
"a sting. A great spider, think.
The creature nipped me and leaped
away before could well see what II
was. Ahr Singer Bardinelli, is it
you? Oh, Phil-what-"
Pale and terrified she lay in the
arms OF her husband, who, livid as n
death, only held her closely, making
no effort to restrain the Italian,
who had, without ceremony, sized
upon the brides hand, upon the finger
OF which was appearing u faint line oil
discoloratlon, making the course oil
the envenomed sting she had received.
The one word spoken, as he applied
his lips in sanction to the wound, had
sent deadly chill to the bridegroom
heart
"Tarantrla!"
No other word was spoken. Darby
knew what meant the drop or two oil
greenish, viscous liquid which the Ital-
ian once or twice elected from his lips,
each time returning in mad haste to
his task of peril. Darby's bride knew.
too, what signified Bardinelli's desper-
ate earnestness, as well as she COM
pretended the threatening OF danger to
herself in the vertigoand shivering al
ready creeping over her. But neither
OF these thought OF the risk Bardineli
was hazarding; Bardinelll himself did
not give a thought to the matter till
the possible results OF his daring came
TO him in a fash OF consciousness,
An eager glance, convincing him OF the
fact that the poison was being abated
in the veins OF his whilom pupil re-
vealed 20 him, besides, fleck OF blood
close to the puncture in the dainty
hand over which he had been gloating,
The blood, he knew, was from a
wound in his own lip. His strongs
teeth had nearly met through it as he
lay in hiding there beyond the fern
mound.
But the virus that was creeping
from her veins into his was as tho
wine of life to him in comparison
with the venom of jealousy that had
maddened him as he lay there watch
ing the welded lovers, reveline in their .
stolen bliss.
at is DONE" he said, presently, lift
ing flushed face from his odd work.
"There remains, Signor Darby, but
the drop OF poison taken up by the
blood before could get to her"
THE drop or two taken up by her
blood2 Heaven OF mercy, is there no
antidote?"
"rhere is one, but that may be inn
possible"
"speak, mani there must be no im-
,,ooaibt.. ha,o ~